President Lyndon B Johnson
August 27, 1908 – January 22, 1973
Political Party: Democratic
Terms of Office: 1963 - 1969
Vice President: Hubert Humphrey
Thesis:
Following the assassination of Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson stepped in as president and took control of continuing the plans set out for him. After his large victory in the 1964 election he developed a collection of legislative and social proposals he called “The Great Society.” While this program saw much success as his term continued there is no denying his failures involving the Vietnam War. Unable to devise a victorious strategy or a proper withdrawal, the troubles in Vietnam grew and continued after his presidency was over. While Johnson had great achievements domestically with his accomplishments for poverty, civil rights, environmental protection, and consumerism, his failure to solve the issues in Vietnam according to his promises, leave him with the grade of a B- for his term as president.
Goals: When Johnson was sworn in as president after Kennedy’s assassination, he agreed with Kennedy’s plea to “let us begin anew.” He promoted the previous programs urged by Kennedy at the time of his death such as a tax cut and the passage of a civil rights bill, while also promoting many of his own new ideas. When elected in his own right in 1964 he was a peace candidate promising no wider war in Vietnam. All of his other goals were a part of his overall idea of “The Great Society,” consisting of the war on poverty, civil rights legislation, Medicare and Medicaid, environmental protection, and consumerism. Johnson was very successful and accomplished most of his goals during his elected term. He passed the Medicare program, gave money to education and reconstruction, and passed several civil rights bills that had outlawed discrimination against minorities in many different areas. However, his one goal, to have no wider war, was not accomplished during his term and was his major downfall as president.
Johnson and Congress:
Johnson was very much accepted by his administration when he became president in 1964. He had the support of a democratic majority in Congress and the agenda for Congress quickly became that of the Great Society program. This consisted of changes involving aid and support for the people of the United States. Congress quickly enacted Johnson’s recommendations by passing numerous pieces of legislation. The greatest of these consisted of the Civil Rights Acts, the Voting Rights Act, Medicare and Medicaid, and the Economic Opportunity Act. In the area of environmental protection they passed several laws such as The Clean Water Restoration Act and the Air Quality Act, followed by many laws concerning consumerism including, the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act and the Wholesome Meat Act. Most domestic issues were resolved easily in Congress, while foreign policy had more trouble. Two conflicts that arose during Johnson’s administration revolved around the debate over a war on poverty and the differing views of the Vietnam War. While the Gulf of Tonkin passed through both houses of Congress and became the basis for which the Vietnam War was conducted it effected divisions within the party, either supporting the war methods or opposed to the war methods. These two conflicts ultimately divided the Democrats and contributed to their defeat in 1968.
Most Positive Outcome:
“Many Americans live on the outskirts of hope, some because of their poverty and some because of their color, and all too many because of both. Our task is to help replace their despair with unconditional war on poverty in America.” President Johnson said this in his 1964 State of the Union address. Next to Johnson’s great accomplishment with civil rights his achievements through the war on poverty, were some of his greatest successes during his years as president. With the war on poverty being one of his largest goals Johnson did not delay. His administration passed the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 creating the office of Economic Opportunity, which administered and funded many antipoverty programs. Some of these programs included the Job Corps, providing vocational training to disadvantaged youth, the Volunteers in Service to America, enlisting volunteers to work and teach in ghettos, and the Work-Study Program which provided jobs allowing students of low-income families to work their way through college. It also provided the Work Experience Program and the Community Action Program. All of these different programs provided many outstanding opportunities for disadvantaged and low-income families. Throughout Johnson’s efforts to end poverty government funding devoted to the poor increased greatly. All of these efforts to aid the poor had effective results in the areas of job training and job placement programs. Overall the rate of poverty in America significantly declined during these years.
Most Negative Outcome: Although Johnson had numerous positive outcomes domestically, he did not do so well when it came to the issues in Vietnam. In fact, many people were turned off by his foreign policies and remember him for his disappointments through out the war. During the three years following 1965, American commitment to the Vietnam War grew from 100,000 combat troops to more than 550,000 in 1968. Throughout the fighting Johnson reassured people by saying “We will seek no wider war.” However, this promise was never kept and in most cases the opposite occurred. In February 1965 the United States began Operation Rolling Thunder consisting of air raids over North Vietnam. The next month marked the beginning of eight years of combat in South Vietnam. This sparked many antiwar movements, which began to grow and expand during this time as the casualties continued increasing. Even with Congress’s efforts to end the Communist aggression and achieve peace, fighting continued. Johnson kept spending more money, giving more firepower and sending more men into the war effort and we continued to lose. Despite the fact that we were losing money and men to the war effort many other negatives took place. The American society began to split between “hawks” and “doves.” Antiwar activists began to become further involved by publicly demonstrating against the United States involvement through means of marches and rallies. The public was angered and upset and wanted an end to their involvement in the war, but unfortunately Johnson was not the president to do so.
Influence on Future:
While the African American fight for civil rights was going on prior to Johnson’s term as president, Johnson felt that he should follow the steps of Kennedy before his assassination and pass a new civil rights bill. Johnson’s administration quickly passed the Civil rights Act of 1964, which banned discrimination in employment as well as in other public facilities such as restaurants and hotels. Following this was Johnson’s proudest achievement, the Voting Rights Act of 1965. This act outlawed the discriminatory literacy test, and authorized the government to promote voter registration, by sending federal registrars to enroll African American voters. This had the result of increasing minority voting, while also increasing the support of blacks for the Democratic Party. In 1968 another Civil Rights Act was passed which stopped discrimination in the sale and rental of housing. It also increased and enforced federal criminal penalties for civil rights violations. While the immediate results of these pieces of legislation led to a surge in black radicalism and violence, they had a great effect on the nation in the long run. African Americans achieved a greater ability to vote as the limitations had been uplifted. A two-party system developed in the South for the first time in a while. After the 1968 Civil Rights Act the suburbs began to open up to minority residents. Overall the Civil Rights movements put in place by Johnson’s administration played a large part in giving black citizens their basic rights and other chances to succeed in life with equal opportunities.
Conclusion:
President Lyndon B. Johnson became president at a crucial time in history. At home there were fights against color and poverty and abroad there were fights against communism. Johnson proved to be a great leader when it came to domestic affairs, as he successfully promoted economic growth, a war on poverty, and fought for civil rights for the first time. But because of his faith in the use of military force to achieve the countries objectives in foreign policy he rapidly increased the United States involvement in the Vietnam War destroying his popularity. While the country was better off domestically in many ways after his presidency, he left the problems of Vietnam, racial unrest, and other unresolved issues to the next president earning him the grade of a B-.
President Lyndon B Johnson
August 27, 1908 – January 22, 1973
Political Party: Democratic
Terms of Office: 1963 - 1969
Vice President: Hubert Humphrey
Thesis:
Following the assassination of Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson stepped in as president and took control of continuing the plans set out for him. After his large victory in the 1964 election he developed a collection of legislative and social proposals he called “The Great Society.” While this program saw much success as his term continued there is no denying his failures involving the Vietnam War. Unable to devise a victorious strategy or a proper withdrawal, the troubles in Vietnam grew and continued after his presidency was over. While Johnson had great achievements domestically with his accomplishments for poverty, civil rights, environmental protection, and consumerism, his failure to solve the issues in Vietnam according to his promises, leave him with the grade of a B- for his term as president.
Goals:
When Johnson was sworn in as president after Kennedy’s assassination, he agreed with Kennedy’s plea to “let us begin anew.” He promoted the previous programs urged by Kennedy at the time of his death such as a tax cut and the passage of a civil rights bill, while also promoting many of his own new ideas. When elected in his own right in 1964 he was a peace candidate promising no wider war in Vietnam. All of his other goals were a part of his overall idea of “The Great Society,” consisting of the war on poverty, civil rights legislation, Medicare and Medicaid, environmental protection, and consumerism. Johnson was very successful and accomplished most of his goals during his elected term. He passed the Medicare program, gave money to education and reconstruction, and passed several civil rights bills that had outlawed discrimination against minorities in many different areas. However, his one goal, to have no wider war, was not accomplished during his term and was his major downfall as president.
Johnson and Congress:
Johnson was very much accepted by his administration when he became president in 1964. He had the support of a democratic majority in Congress and the agenda for Congress quickly became that of the Great Society program. This consisted of changes involving aid and support for the people of the United States. Congress quickly enacted Johnson’s recommendations by passing numerous pieces of legislation. The greatest of these consisted of the Civil Rights Acts, the Voting Rights Act, Medicare and Medicaid, and the Economic Opportunity Act. In the area of environmental protection they passed several laws such as The Clean Water Restoration Act and the Air Quality Act, followed by many laws concerning consumerism including, the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act and the Wholesome Meat Act. Most domestic issues were resolved easily in Congress, while foreign policy had more trouble. Two conflicts that arose during Johnson’s administration revolved around the debate over a war on poverty and the differing views of the Vietnam War. While the Gulf of Tonkin passed through both houses of Congress and became the basis for which the Vietnam War was conducted it effected divisions within the party, either supporting the war methods or opposed to the war methods. These two conflicts ultimately divided the Democrats and contributed to their defeat in 1968.
Most Positive Outcome:
“Many Americans live on the outskirts of hope, some because of their poverty and some because of their color, and all too many because of both. Our task is to help replace their despair with unconditional war on poverty in America.” President Johnson said this in his 1964 State of the Union address. Next to Johnson’s great accomplishment with civil rights his achievements through the war on poverty, were some of his greatest successes during his years as president. With the war on poverty being one of his largest goals Johnson did not delay. His administration passed the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 creating the office of Economic Opportunity, which administered and funded many antipoverty programs. Some of these programs included the Job Corps, providing vocational training to disadvantaged youth, the Volunteers in Service to America, enlisting volunteers to work and teach in ghettos, and the Work-Study Program which provided jobs allowing students of low-income families to work their way through college. It also provided the Work Experience Program and the Community Action Program. All of these different programs provided many outstanding opportunities for disadvantaged and low-income families. Throughout Johnson’s efforts to end poverty government funding devoted to the poor increased greatly. All of these efforts to aid the poor had effective results in the areas of job training and job placement programs. Overall the rate of poverty in America significantly declined during these years.
Most Negative Outcome:
Although Johnson had numerous positive outcomes domestically, he did not do so well when it came to the issues in Vietnam. In fact, many people were turned off by his foreign policies and remember him for his disappointments through out the war. During the three years following 1965, American commitment to the Vietnam War grew from 100,000 combat troops to more than 550,000 in 1968. Throughout the fighting Johnson reassured people by saying “We will seek no wider war.” However, this promise was never kept and in most cases the opposite occurred. In February 1965 the United States began Operation Rolling Thunder consisting of air raids over North Vietnam. The next month marked the beginning of eight years of combat in South Vietnam. This sparked many antiwar movements, which began to grow and expand during this time as the casualties continued increasing. Even with Congress’s efforts to end the Communist aggression and achieve peace, fighting continued. Johnson kept spending more money, giving more firepower and sending more men into the war effort and we continued to lose. Despite the fact that we were losing money and men to the war effort many other negatives took place. The American society began to split between “hawks” and “doves.” Antiwar activists began to become further involved by publicly demonstrating against the United States involvement through means of marches and rallies. The public was angered and upset and wanted an end to their involvement in the war, but unfortunately Johnson was not the president to do so.
Influence on Future:
While the African American fight for civil rights was going on prior to Johnson’s term as president, Johnson felt that he should follow the steps of Kennedy before his assassination and pass a new civil rights bill. Johnson’s administration quickly passed the Civil rights Act of 1964, which banned discrimination in employment as well as in other public facilities such as restaurants and hotels. Following this was Johnson’s proudest achievement, the Voting Rights Act of 1965. This act outlawed the discriminatory literacy test, and authorized the government to promote voter registration, by sending federal registrars to enroll African American voters. This had the result of increasing minority voting, while also increasing the support of blacks for the Democratic Party. In 1968 another Civil Rights Act was passed which stopped discrimination in the sale and rental of housing. It also increased and enforced federal criminal penalties for civil rights violations. While the immediate results of these pieces of legislation led to a surge in black radicalism and violence, they had a great effect on the nation in the long run. African Americans achieved a greater ability to vote as the limitations had been uplifted. A two-party system developed in the South for the first time in a while. After the 1968 Civil Rights Act the suburbs began to open up to minority residents. Overall the Civil Rights movements put in place by Johnson’s administration played a large part in giving black citizens their basic rights and other chances to succeed in life with equal opportunities.
Conclusion:
President Lyndon B. Johnson became president at a crucial time in history. At home there were fights against color and poverty and abroad there were fights against communism. Johnson proved to be a great leader when it came to domestic affairs, as he successfully promoted economic growth, a war on poverty, and fought for civil rights for the first time. But because of his faith in the use of military force to achieve the countries objectives in foreign policy he rapidly increased the United States involvement in the Vietnam War destroying his popularity. While the country was better off domestically in many ways after his presidency, he left the problems of Vietnam, racial unrest, and other unresolved issues to the next president earning him the grade of a B-.
Work Cited ---
"American President: Lyndon Baines Johnson." Miller Center of Public Affairs. Web. 20 May 2010. <http://millercenter.org/academic/americanpresident/lbjohnson>.
DeGregorio, William A. "Johnson." The Complete Book of U.S. Presidents. 7th ed. New York: Gramercy, 2005. Print.
"Lyndon Baines Johnson, the 36th President of the United States." Austin Website Design - Lone Star Internet. Web. 20 May 2010. <http://www.lone-star.net/mall/texasinfo/lbj.htm>.
"The Presidents." The White House. Web. 20 May 2010. <http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/grovercleveland/>.